Kenya´s Union Boss Warns of Nationwide Strike by Flower Farm Workers

The Secetary General of the Central Organisation of Trade Unions in Kenya Francis Atwoli has warned of a major strike involving all flower farms in the country if his plea that the government protects Oserian flower farm workers from job loss is not heeded. 

According to Mr Atwoli, the company has been arbitrarily dismissing its employees and turning their permanent jobs into casual ones.

He urged Labour Cabinet Secretary Ukur Yatani to shield employees from practices “that have seen Oserian Development Company lay off about 2,500 workers”.

Oserian Finance and Administration director Tim Ndikwe denied the allegations.

“Not a single permanent unionisable worker has been retrenched as a result of these strategic changes.   Seasonal employees whose contracts expired on 31st March 2018 were released as we reached the end of the ‘Event Season’ and all have already been fully paid off,” said Tim Ndikwe, the Finance and Administration Director.

A press statement from Oserian Company read in part.. ¨In order for the business to be better able to focus upon these diversification plans, the company recently contracted out all its flower packing operations and similarly put all the non-rose crop production on a contracted basis.¨